Jeff Schultz

By Not-So-Neutral Zoner

June 18, 2008 8:47 PM | Link to this

Schultz, you sound like a broken record. All you do is whine and complain while constantly trying to get Mr. Waddell fired.

Many of us want you fired, Schultz, and we pay buy the paper version of this rag the same way we pay for our Thrashers tickets. (Oh, you don’t pay for your Thrashers tickets, do you, Schultzie?)

Are you able to write ANYTHING about the Thrashers without trying to get the GM fired?

Do you have ANYTHING relatively insightful about the Thrashers to write about for those of us who obviously know and care more about the cumulative history of this team than you ever could, “Mr.” Schultz?

I doubt you would even recognize a forecheck if you received one while playing WarCraft, “Mr.” Schultz?

Why don’t you come down and visit with the real fans of the franchise at the Thrashers Draft Party this Friday night at Philips, “Mr.” Schultz, and trying spewing some of this nonsense to our faces?

By N2Hockey

June 18, 2008 8:54 PM | Link to this

LOL why you hating on Jeff S? The truth hurts and I don’t care how many times he writes it or repeats it, IT’s the truth… the whole organazation is a load of crap from the owners to the gm to the ticket reps… Get your head out of your as* and realize he’s right and maybe someday someone will listen and get rid of that bum DW……We need to trade our draft picks because we NEVER develop anyone… The wolves won the calder and those kids got hardly any playing time with us, he sent them up and down all season If anderson is offered the job here, i hope for his sake he tells DW to cram it!

By Billy

June 18, 2008 8:56 PM | Link to this

Great read Jeff. You are 100% right on. Don Waddell has done enough damage to this organization and it is a shame the NHL has not put an end to the ownership dispute and found someone else to lead this organization. Waddell should have been fired years ago, but without solid ownership, what could really get done? The team is a mess from TOP-down. There will never be any consistency unless there is consistency with the owners, GM, and coach; all of which is quite suspect.

Kovalchuk’s career could have been better than Ovechkin’s. He could have been the NHL poster child instead of Crosby. But hockey in the south was a receipe for oblivion. And theat is where all the players are when they land in Atlanta.

Hossa knew this when he got traded from Ottawa. This is also why is wanted to be traded this past spring. Who can really blame him?

Kovalchuk will follow-suit. There is NOTHING this organization can do at this point to secure a consistently winning team. It will take another 5-7 years before we have enough solid and developed prospects to even consider being a playoff team.

Kovalchuk should be traded this summer to get some 4-5 players in return. This is the only imaginable way this team can consider refilling its cabinets of prospects to develop. Then they need to hire Anderson and let the rookies grow and learn from their mistakes.

By Terri

June 18, 2008 9:04 PM | Link to this

N2Hockey - How would you like it if we all came to the ARBY’S location where you work EVERY SINGLE DAY and tried to get you fired for not washing your hands after pleasuring yourself to photos of Martin Brodeur before returning to the Curly Fries station?

Please don’t be so ugly.

By B. Thenet

June 18, 2008 9:06 PM | Link to this

Certainly ominous quotes from Kovalchuk’s agent there.

I like DW, and overall the drafting has improved since the lockout….sadly not much else has.

Poor UFA signings, poor trades, poor use of assets, and a misguided sense of loyalty that puts players ahead of the good of the team.

You have to wonder just how hamstrung he is by the ASG, but he has certainly not done much to inspire confidence in the average Thrashers fan as of late.

By Barry

June 18, 2008 9:10 PM | Link to this

The thing that worries me is in two years and Kovy is gone…who is going to score us goals? Caps have Ovechkin. Penguins have Crosby. Every team has some sort of offensive superstar scoring goals, but when Kovy is probably gone…who will we have???

By LAC

June 18, 2008 9:15 PM | Link to this

Sitting here in Kansas City tonight, I could not help but remember this town had NHL hockey once.

The Kansas City Scouts, remember them ? Played at The Kemper in the West Bottoms, they were losers and moved to Denver, where they were losers then moved to New Jersey,Gota solid owner Excellent committed GM who knows how to WIN and how many Stanley Cups do they have… A Few.

We look like an expansion team from every aspect, we are a joke in the NHL,no GOOD Players want to come or stay here, no GOOD WINNING Coaches want to come here,why…TWO WORDS don waddell.

A man who is as a complete failure in a job as I have ever seen. He has ZERO clue as to running a professional hockey team, he is a LOSER in every aspect from start to finish… a TOTAL FAILURE.

Why he will not resign is beyond all of us, why he has not been FIRED is a new wonder of the world, but rest assured he will drive the stake through the heart of this franchise deeper and deeper until there is no choice to move… Say what a great idea, here to Kansas City, new building,great steaks, a few tornadoes, but otherwise a nice city.

It would be a shame to lose another team, but if don waddell is allowed to preform anymore of his BS I bet in three years the team is gone, that is how much destruction don waddell has done to this franchise… and these worthless owners could care less !

Lastly not so neutral you are a one hit wonder who know nothing about the issue at hand, Jeff hit it right so go wash your mouth out with soap !

By midtownrebecca

June 18, 2008 9:25 PM | Link to this

Year 9 of a 5 year plan.

The only problem is, if you fire Waddell do you really trust the idiots of the ASG to pick a new GM? It makes no sense that over 250 days later, we still don’t have a coach and after 9 seasons we don’t have solid ownership.

New coach will be coach number 3. ASG is the 2nd group of owners. DW is the 1 and only GM.

Hmmmm…why doesn’t 1+1=3?

By Mike

June 18, 2008 9:34 PM | Link to this

Pleasuring himself to pics of martin? That to me sounds ugly,kind of the pot calling the kettle black wouldn’t you say? DW has proved himself to be of NO value to the team take off the rose colored glasses will you he/she PE teacher.

By Alan

June 18, 2008 9:35 PM | Link to this

Are you able to write ANYTHING about the Thrashers without trying to get the GM fired?

Newsflash: Many of us want the GM fired. I think I’ve settled for his product for long enough.

Our hopes of keeping Kovalchuk rest completely on the players we can sign during free agency. At this point, I don’t even care that Waddell is the man running draft duties for the Thrashers. I believe our only hope of retaining Kovalchuk is the deals a different GM can pull.

Todd White is a good guy for a third liner. Waddell brought him in for four years, and put him on the top line. “Here’s your center, Kovy!” Yeeeeah, no, that’s just not going to work.

If Todd White is an indicator of what Waddell’s idea of a top center is, I not only want him fired, I don’t want him to set foot near a different organization.

By beau vighn

June 18, 2008 9:42 PM | Link to this

Hey Jeff, Great job and you are right on. It looks like Donny has some family members checking the blog and rushing to his defense.

Don Waddell may be the greatest guy in the history of the world, but as an NHL GM he is a bust. The proof is in the pudding. Look at the short history of our franchise. ‘Nuff said

By Bob

June 18, 2008 9:59 PM | Link to this

Waddell retaining his job is the single biggest mind boggling thing I’ve ever seen happen in hockey. He rightly should have been let go many years ago, yet year after year, the Teflon Don is still here.

Well, guess what. Based on that, I’m no longer still there as a season ticket holder.

If Waddell is in the house, I’m stayin in mine

By Jeff

June 18, 2008 10:02 PM | Link to this

It looks like this ownership group wants to devalue this team for the lawsuit so the claim won’t be so high otherwise why let this happen. It is sad that the NHL will never let Atl have another franchise after this one, and the only hockey some of us will know is sorry Don Waddell brand hockey. It is bad that we are trapped like this and the fools at ASG know it. With retards like Not-So-Neutral Zoner who must work in the front office. (Hey Ben how is it going edited any good blog posts lately) The next move has to come from the owners who could care less about the fans. Shame on them Well Nashville is not that far is it.

By ranallo10

June 18, 2008 10:02 PM | Link to this

Alan — Which do you feel is more likely, the ASG sacks up, fires a GM, and shells out big money for a quick turnaround of this franchise in order to retain Kovalchuk (shelling out big bucks again)…or…the ASG stays status-quo, retains Waddell’s services, and lives off the small profit margin while banking off of The Flat Screen’s many other revenue driving services (concerts, Hawks games, Dream games, etc)?

Personally, I have less faith in the ASG than I do in Waddell, because I at least can tell Waddell has this teams best interests AT HEART. I think the ASG has the best interests of their wallet at heart, and thus they’ll retain the GM who has kept this team marginally successful (at best) and has continued bringing in 14,000+ spectators on average.

LAC — I’m not disputing that NJ is a solid franchise from the GM down, but clearly a good franchise deserves better than the bottom of the league in attendance. They win, yet relatively nobody sees them do it. I am comfortable knowing the bandwagon Atlanta fans would come in droves once this team starts winning, but I have no clue how long it’ll take for the ASG to WANT to start winning (even though your favorite man, Mr. Snydell, infamously stated their goal is the Stanley Cup).

Anyways, t-minus 45 hours to draft time.

By Jeff Schultz

June 18, 2008 10:03 PM | Link to this

Not-So-Neutral-Zoner: I’m writing a column about the team going into the draft, which calls for analysis of the team’s current state. If you don’t like the opinion, that’s fine. But this isn’t the time to write, “Everything’s great,” because everything isn’t. Trust me, I’d love to write about a winning hockey team. As far as my social plans go, thanks but I’ve got plans Friday. But if you want to send me an email or leave a message on my voicemail, I’d be happy to chat (404-526-5774) …. Billy: I know the “trade Kovalchuk” thing is picking up steam with some. I’m not in favor of that right now because he’s the one star this team has and the one reason to buy a ticket (or, yes, Neutral Zoner, the reason to use my free pass). The team has a year before it seriously needs to start considering that. FYI: According to CBA rules, a team can extend a player’s contract when it has one year remaining. So the Thrashers will begin to get their answer next summer on whether Kovalchuk wants to come back., …. Barry: I actually believe that in a salary system, a team can rebuild fairly quickly. But: 1) you have to make the right decisions and, 2) you have to set a direction and create an atmosphere that makes this attractive to other players. ….. Thanks all. I’ll try to check in later. JS.

By T-Bone

June 18, 2008 10:04 PM | Link to this

February 2010, that’s when DW pulls another last minute, trade deadline deal and unloads the soon-to-be UFA Kovy and that’s when hockey in Atlanta will no longer have any measurable pulse. Nice job Donny, nice job!

By T-Bone

June 18, 2008 10:06 PM | Link to this

February 2010, that’s when DW pulls another last minute, trade deadline deal and unloads the soon-to-be UFA Kovy and that’s when hockey in Atlanta will no longer have any measurable pulse. Nice job Donny, nice job and well done by our wonderfully committed and astute ownership group! Well done!

By The Other Bob

June 18, 2008 10:17 PM | Link to this

Why don’t you come down and visit with the real fans of the franchise at the Thrashers Draft Party this Friday night at Philips, “Mr.” Schultz, and trying spewing some of this nonsense to our faces? - So, what you are trying to say N-S-NZ is that the only “real” fans that the Thrashers have are the ones who have their heads shoved firmly up their a*******es and cannot, no, WILL NOT see the obvious?

Get a clue!

By Not-So-Neutral Zoner

June 18, 2008 10:30 PM | Link to this

Schultz, if you want to “report” on the pre-draft state of the franchise, the please start doing so. (REPORTING, that is!)

For months now, anything that I read from you regarding the Thrashers is little more than a “Bash Waddell…. Again…” session that has gotten BEYOND stale.

I am there for every game at Philips and watching every televised road game to which I can’t make it. I know as well as anyone how “Not Great” the state of the team is right now. While not everyone follows the team that closely, nothing you’ve dispensed as of late hasn’t already been noticed ad nauseam by even the most casual hockey observers here in Atlanta.

I don’t want to give the GM a total pass, but I don’t want to scapegoat him for every single thing, either. The biggest problem with this franchise at present is the current ownership group, the condescending arrogance of some of the members and their across-the-board penny pinching antics.

To save time for everyone from no on, Schultz, why don’t you just put Don Waddell’s playoff record, number of failed draft picks, coaching hire failures and number of years on the job the title or even in your own byline so that you will have to actually write something NEWSWORTHY (as opposed to reciting ancient history…. again…) in the body of the article whenever you write a piece about the Thrashers?

That would certainly be a swell upgrade and a nice change of pace.

Thanks.

By Sage of Bluesland

June 18, 2008 10:45 PM | Link to this

My, how pitiful the sheep sound these days! How wonderfully pathetic!

Our bumbling, blustering joke of a GM has nearly finished running this joke of a franchise completely into the ground. Completely.

But, hey, don’t forget our Sunshiney Donny has opened his lisping mouth and stated that we are ahead of last year’s Flyers team (which finished near the bottom, but turned it around this past year to win a couple of playoff series with a revamped roster)…There goes Donny again, all bluster and absolutely zero results…

Yet the sheep still swoon over his every word—because they SOOOO want to BEWIEVE IN BWUEWAND!!!

Poor misguided lambs who continue to subsidize the utter incompetence! You have now become a major part of the problem—and not the solution. You are ENABLING this farce to continue!

Oh well, you sheep deserve what you get. You bought it—I hope you enjoy it!

No, no, no—please don’t ever complain about Donny now—it’s wayyy too late for that…Just plug in any number of his past ‘promises’ or ‘plans’ so you can sweep better at night, eh?

Look in the mirror for the other half of the joke! Hey, at least the lambchop set provides a good laugh, huh?

Thank you, Jeff, for being the ‘only’ writer who actually cares about the team—and its REAL fans—to write the truth as opposed to completely selling out like Mark Bradley (similar to his rump-kissing of the equally incompetent decade-long GM of the Hawks, Pete Babcock)…

Please keep up the good work, the good fight, and the good crusade…Incompetence and buffoonery will not triumph in that figurative joke otherwise created by and known as “Blueland”…

(Ooops, too late on that last score…Silly wittle sheep, now look what you’ve done…)

By moose

June 18, 2008 10:56 PM | Link to this

“Why don’t you come down and visit with the real fans of the franchise at the Thrashers Draft Party this Friday night at Philips, “Mr.” Schultz, and trying spewing some of this nonsense to our faces?”

Well, not so neutral, I think Jeff was right on. I feel the same way. BTW, I’ll be at the draft party too. Maybe you’d like to share your mis-guided, off your rocker view with ME. I’ll be easy to recognize; I’ll be the one with a pitch fork, and torch.

By Matt

June 18, 2008 11:07 PM | Link to this

Normally I don’t like much of what you say in your columns Jeff….. but I gotta say I agree with this one… well minus the fact that you couldn’t give away season tickets, I’d still willingly take two anywhere in Phillips. I love my Thrashers, but this team is a mess.

By Jeff Schultz

June 18, 2008 11:27 PM | Link to this

Neutral zoner: You want a fact? Here you go. The Atlanta Spirit Group is the third set of owners Waddell has worked for (1. Turner; 2. AOL-TImeWarner; 3, ASG). So while I’m not defending ASG, it’s safe to say the direction, agenda and structure were set long before they arrived. …. Sage, others: Thanks. … Moose: I love the smell of brimstone in the morning. …. Matt: OK, I’ll give you that — they could give away tickets. Slight exaggeration. (Writer’s license.) Hockey fans always will buy tickets because, well, they really like hockey. But I’m guessing the season-ticket base will be at an all-time low next season (which is not to say the number ever will be made public). …. And now, it’s time to grab a pillow. …. JS

By R. Stroz

June 18, 2008 11:43 PM | Link to this

Not-So-Neutral Zoner

Why don’t you come down and visit with the real fans of the franchise at the Thrashers Draft Party this Friday night at Philips, “Mr.” Schultz, and trying spewing some of this nonsense to our faces?

I’ll be down there spewing away. I’ll be the bald headed guy with a BULLHORN chanting FIRE WADDELL. If you have the fortitude (nice way of saying balls), come by and I’ll gladly discuss the most idiotic GM in the NHL.

Also be prepared for a discussion of NHL hockey in Atlanta from the early 70’s forward.

BTW, I’m an Atlanta native and a real fan too. Yeah come on.

By tiger7_88

June 18, 2008 11:44 PM | Link to this

Dear Mr. Dum Bass No-So-Neutral-Zoner: Mr. Schultz isn’t paid to report, he’s paid to provide opinions. Considering the results on the ice over the last 8 years, I tend to think that his opinion holds a little more credibility than yours.

By R. Stroz

June 18, 2008 11:58 PM | Link to this

Schultz - But I’m guessing the season-ticket base will be at an all-time low next season (which is not to say the number ever will be made public).

Well this is public, for the first time in Thrasher history, 13 and 7 game packages are on sale before the schedule is released.

I think it’s safe to say that ticket renewals are un-good. Then again why buy a ticket package for a lousy team with no coach when the ASG will discount the tickets 50% once the season starts.

By Disgusted Fan

June 19, 2008 12:00 AM | Link to this

As long as ownership is comprised of a group of fools with no one person having a clue in charge, and as long as Waddell is the GM, the Thrashers are going nowhere. The fact the team has not hired a coach prior to the draft is far, far beyond pathetic. Can you say “and now ladies and gentlemen, your Las Vegas Thrashers!”. Atlanta deserves much more than this.

By Justin

June 19, 2008 12:02 AM | Link to this

The Thrashers are owned by the Atlanta Spirit, LLC, not the Atlanta Spirit Group.

By R. Stroz

June 19, 2008 12:32 AM | Link to this

The Thrashers and Hawks are owned by FUBAS (F-d Up By the Atlanta Spirit)

By NASCAR Dave

June 19, 2008 12:40 AM | Link to this

Well, is everyone taking notice of this general pattern going on here??? Because it sounds to me like a whole lot of people are pretty pi$$ed off about the state of affairs here… AND WE ARE!!!

Once again, JEFF SCHULTZ is the ONLY AJC Writer with the GUTS to keep it real, tell it like it is, face the facts, and ASK FOR ACCOUNTABILTY!!! The fans want the same! We are mad as hell! The Draft is in 2 days, we have NO COACH, NO CLUE, NO PLANS, and NO DIRECTION… WHY is THAT??? Who is “The Man With The Plan”, the guy pulling the strings, and what is he doing??? HE HAS NO CLUE!!! Donnie FRAUDell is a complete JOKE!!! We are FED UP and TIRED of his constant blabbering and double speak about the state of affairs!

WHY naive fools CONTINUE to listen to this FRAUD of a GM is completely MIND-BOGGLING!!!

MCCRIMMON should NOT even be considered as a candidate!!! He FAILED MISERABLY last year, what more proof do you need???

This is the MOST IMPORTANT Draft in Franchise History!!! We have the chance to grab a Game Maker! Whether Don FRAUDell wants to admit it or not, we are in a Rebuilding Mode. Why ATLANTA SPIRIT, LLC is NOW allowing Donnie to orchestrate this 2ND (some would argue 3RD) REBUILDING Plan is absoulutely puzzling… It is not fair. He has had his chance to “BUILD” and “REBUILD”… It is time to see what someone else can do.

KOVALCHUK has let it be known… the time is NOW… He wants to see some QUALITY players come in here via Free Agency… NOT Ken Klee’s, NOT Todd White’s, TOP-LINE Players!!! DO YOU GET IT??? DO YOU UNDERSTAND??? Otherwise, he will leave… JUST LIKE HOSSA! What will happen then??? Will Donnie FRAUDell get 50 cents on the Dollar for KOVY like he did for HOSSA??? Will we get MORE 3rd and 4th LINERS, DONNIE??? OH, Pretty Please, DONNIE???

It’s absolutely PATHETIC people still “BELIEVE” in this Donnie WAddell joke called “Blueland”. I believe in the THRASHERS, And I Can believe in BLUELAND, but I have MORE THAN ENOUGH PROOF to See Donnie Waddell for he he truly is, a FRAUD of a GM… With Owners who could care less about results, from Management on Down…

What a SAD, SAD Joke Don FRAUDell has turned our Hockey Team into… Truly Heartbreaking…

NUFF SAID.

NUFF SAID.

By Alan

June 19, 2008 12:49 AM | Link to this

ranallo - or…the ASG stays status-quo, retains Waddell’s services, and lives off the small profit margin while banking off of The Flat Screen’s many other revenue driving services

This one.

By 10yr plan

June 19, 2008 12:55 AM | Link to this

Jeff,

Thanks for all your efforts. As someone who communicates with the ASG can you please tell me why a candidate like Pat Quinn(who has expressed interest in the job)has not been interviewed. Is it because he has ties to the past(former Flames captain) or is he too qualified for DW and he’s afraid of losing his job to him(not that he should have one). I really believe the ASG are smart business people, look what Gearon Jr. has done with American Tower. What in the world do they see in DW. I give, please help!

By polskidawg

June 19, 2008 1:08 AM | Link to this

Sure makes me long for the good-old-days of a real owner (Tom Cousins) and real GM (Cliff Fletcher).

Yes, I know that Tom sold the team to that awful beer man from Calgary, but there were very difficult circumstances involved.

One thing was for sure - winning was the goal.

I fear that Kovy is gone regardless of this or next years moves, and the team will be in Las Vegas by 2012.

Ugh.

By Brendan

June 19, 2008 1:09 AM | Link to this

I really think any talk of relocation is misplaced. The lease is iron-clad for at least 12 more years. It’s not realistic to think it will be broken. Here are the possibilities for what will happen. (1) The Spirit will sell the team to a local interest, or not so local interest, who still keeps the team in Atlanta. (2) The Spirit Group will eventually fire Waddell and replace him with a high-dollar competent GM, having run out of other options to bring fans back. Or (3), they won’t fire Waddell, and fans of the visiting teams will fill Philips Arena when their hometown team comes calling. Money is money, right? What does it matter to the owners if the Thrashers score while 65% of the arena boos? The Spirit Group has a business model that yields a small profit, breaks-even, or experiences a slight loss on an annual basis. So, it’s not like the NHL will step in to declare an emergency … unless the team becomes insolvent. The NHL doesn’t care if the Thrashers are merely schedule fodder for the other 29 teams. Every year, by definition, some team finishes LAST. The league doesn’t banish the 30th-place team from NHL existence.

Jeff Schultz, nice column. Accurate column. Retaining Waddell is an indefensible sports decision on the part of the Atlanta Spirit Group, LLC. Can the thinking here, really be … “If after eight seasons out of nine (8/9) missing the playoffs, thennnnn we need to address the GM position? But, clearly, seven out of eight is insufficient evidence for firing someone.” The Spirit Group has not, and will not, experience some epiphany. Not even if you tried to repeatedly explain it to them using sock puppets.

Does ANYONE think that the ownership’s failure to fire Waddell, after finishing in the bottom third of the Conference seven times in eight (7/8) seasons, has gone UNNOTICED by the Kovalchuk camp? Do you think the organ-I-zation’s failure to hire a Head Coach by the June Draft, after releasing Hartley last October (2007), has gone UNNOTICED by the Kovalchuk camp? Does ANYONE think that the Thrashers’ failure to retain players like Marc Savard, Frank Kaberle, and Marian Hossa have gone UNNOTICED by Ilya Kovalchuk and his handler, Jay Grossman?

Stay with me, here. Allright then. Why would it be WRONG to contact Kovalchuk and his agent to simply ask, “Are you committed to leaving in 2010?” Notice how I didn’t say, “Would you take $9 million to stay?” That’d be a contract negotiation, which isn’t possible until July 1, 2009. The question is simply, “Are you leaving in 2010? Yes or no.”

Waddell and the Spirit Group won’t ask this question, in fear of the response. But that doesn’t ABSOLVE THEM from their due diligence to at least pick up the phone to make inquiry. Wouldn’t it change things if the Spirit Group possessed the knowledge that Kovalchuk said something to the effect of, “There’s nothing you can do to make me stay. Don’t even bother asking me what I want. It’s pointless for me to spell out what it’d take for you to keep me. I’m committed to playing in another market in 2010. It’s not about the money.”

Hold up. Maybe not. Jeff, I think you nailed it. It’s about ticket sales. If Kovy marched into the Wadster’s office and bent a fresh biscuit on his desk, attaching a note that read, “That’s what I think of your acumen,” Waddell still cannot trade him. He can’t. I realize that, now. It’s total suicide. The fanbase would revolt, pretty much no matter what the return might be.

That said, Kovalchuk’s optimum trade value is RIGHT NOW. The gaining team gets two (2) guaranteed years of Kovlachuk, at a “bargain” cap hit price of $6.5 million. (The actual price paid is a bit higher.) But they have no assurances of Kovalchuk staying beyond that. Which team would sell out their future for two years of Kovalchuk, pressed into service, in a market he didn’t choose?

There are few GM’s that could successfully pull off that Kovalchuk trade, from an Atlanta perspective. But, most assuredly, Waddell isn’t one of them. He’s there to try to break-even, after revenue-sharing dollars, and keep the team’s value attractive for “re-sale,” which is the TRUE GOAL and intentions of the ownership, despite any claims you may have heard on “Opening Night’s banner raising ceremonies” last October.

By NASCAR Dave

June 19, 2008 1:22 AM | Link to this

To save time for everyone from no on, Schultz, why don’t you just put Don Waddell’s playoff record, number of failed draft picks, coaching hire failures and number of years on the job the title or even in your own byline so that you will have to actually write something NEWSWORTHY (as opposed to reciting ancient history…. again…) in the body of the article whenever you write a piece about the Thrashers?

Not-So-Neutral Zoner - I’m sensing a lot of anger and hostility from you towards Mr. Schultz… Can you maybe elaborate on that for us??? I would suggest calming down a bit… Jeff Schultz is STATING FACTS. Schultz is merely doing his job, which happens to be writing about the truth, the facts, and what ACTUALLY happens in “real” life, as opposed to the false promises, “visions”, and 5 Year Plans Donnie FRAUDell so elegantly gets you to believe, how silly of you… If you disagree with Schultz, and can present ANY valid reason Donnie FRAUDell should stay, I’m sure we would all like to hear it. I think you’re a little frustrated with the state of affairs…

I would guess you are a Season Ticket Rep, and you have received a lot of angry telephone calls this afternoon when Donnie FRAUDell failed to Hire a Coach by the time he left for the Draft…

Regardless, my offer stands. Present any valid reasons Schultz’s article is incorrect. He is stating FACTS. The Facts speak for themselves.

So will Next Season’s BIG OLE LOT OF EMPTY SEATS!!!

Will You Still “Believe” in Silly Donnie Then???

Knowledge Is Power.

NUFF SAID.

By R. Stroz

June 19, 2008 1:28 AM | Link to this

Brendan - Concerning the iron-clad lease, could FUBAS be thinking that if they continue to screw up the Thrashers and Hawks that the fans will eventually riot and burn Philips down? Then FUBAS gets out of the lease :D

By JSS

June 19, 2008 3:36 AM | Link to this

Not-So-Neutral Zoner

Man, keep to your guns, I’m so proud of you I could burst!!!

Jeff “Ad nauseum” Schultz, Roswell Ed, and Expose Yourself on the Nationwide Cup Series NASCAR Dave just keep beating the same out sync broken drum… However, I did appreciate the towel dropper quoting from School House Rock!!!

By Todd

June 19, 2008 4:01 AM | Link to this

Jeff,

Sweety, I am afraid I am just not going to be able to make our date at Bulldogs this Friday night. Something has popped up. Would it be okay if we reschedule for Saturday night instead? I just wanted to let you know so you can still be able to go to your hockey thing with your friends if you want. Take care, Babe.

Kisses,

Todd (404) 872-3025

By Sara

June 19, 2008 7:41 AM | Link to this

Jeff my one rebuttal to the theme of 3 different owners but the same GM is this: Turner really doesn’t count because he only got the ball started. The team wasn’t really put together until AOL/TW purchased the Turner holdings, which just happened to include 3 sports franchises. Now honestly, what did AOL/TW care about sports teams? The Braves were an easy choice to maintain because of the successful run they were on and they more than generated enough revenue to perpetuate themselves. But the Hawks and Thrashers got run into the ground under AOL/TW because they were pretty much the red-headed step-children they didn’t want. AOL/TW NEVER spent money on this franchise which means bringing in quality FAs was never going to be an option no matter who the GM was.

Atlanta Spirit hasn’t gotten much better. The first year, they spent some wild money for sure. But then, along came the lawsuit and down went the payroll. It’s all about cutting costs. I would argue the only reason the Hawks have seen an increase in revenue is because basketball is more viable in an Atlanta market and the NBA brings in much greater TV and ad revenues. There have been huge cutbacks at the arena - rising prices but less staff, often they run out of menu items/beer in their concessions.

Now, a new GM could help in terms of drafting better and getting us better young talent that’s cheap. But if AS continues to try to make this work on the cheap, we will never be able to retain high-profile players.

In any organization, the tone is set at the top. And the top of this one smells worse than the Mississippi Gulf.

By Not-So-Neutral Zoner

June 19, 2008 8:08 AM | Link to this

RE: “Neutral zoner: You want a fact? Here you go. The Atlanta Spirit Group is the third set of owners Waddell has worked for (1. Turner; 2. AOL-TImeWarner; 3, ASG). So while I’m not defending ASG, it’s safe to say the direction, agenda and structure were set long before they arrived”

See, Schultz, THIS is exactly the ad nauseam type of garbage I am talking about with you. We don’t need you to recite common knowledge such as this… again… and again…. Like I suggested earlier, just put that same garbage in your byline along with all the other “facts” for which you are so proud to recite in order to save everyone’s time.

In case you have lost sight of this, Schultz, Thrashers fans come to this site hoping, expecting to be informed and learn something NEW about the team when we see a new article or blog.

Even in your blog replies, Schultz, you have again demonstrated that all you can do is recite the obvious “facts” known to everyone and chant the same “Waddell is Bad, Fire His Incompetent Behind” nonsense over and over and over.

Since you have apparently forgotten that you work for a NEWSpaper, Schultz (emphasis on the “NEWS” part), just go ahead and extend your “Tuesday Countdown” to every other day of the week. Stating your opinion or doing an editorial is all well and good, but please have something new to say in a new post that is at least a little different from what you’ve obsessed about (seemingly countless times) before.

Frankly, Schultz, your obsession with getting Waddell out of town comes across as more personal than professional. Did Don jilt you once on a promised scoop? Did he humiliate you, or allow you to humiliate yourself, with an incredibly stupid question you made once at a press conference? Does Waddell remind you too much of the uncle who made you made you go into that dark basement with him to check him for ticks when you were a innocent, scared little boy?

Either start posting something informative or interesting about the Thrashers that hasn’t already been recycled and reposted for months or start making your future diatribes about the Gwinnett Gladiators or an entirely different sport instead.

You cite and recite Waddell’s sub-par statistics such as his number of years without a playoff win at an Obsessive-Compulsive rate, Schultz, but how many years have you had writing about the Thrashers for the AJC without having a successful, original or insightful article the hockey fans of this town would expect?

You job often involves ranting for sports figures to retire or be fired when they can no longer do their jobs effectively. How are you at following your own advice, Schultz?

By Hip Czech

June 19, 2008 8:11 AM | Link to this

If the Thrashers retain any hope of keeping Kovalchuk, they will have to wow him this season. That means it’s less about draft picks who won’t play in the NHL for two or three years, if ever, than it is about actual roster players. This period, beginning with pre-draft trades, is when a team is formed.

EXACTLY…folks, this draft is only important in that we have some leverage to acquire some player(s) NOW.

We have been waiting 10 years for players to develop in the ‘system’, guess what? We have NONE. Oh, there’s Kovalchuk, and there was Heatley, but those two could have developed under John Candy.

Come on, name me 2 or 3 players that are top 2 forwards or defensemen besides Kovalchuk and Heatley…I’m still waiting.

Lehtonen MAY be a #1 goalie, I’m willing to give him another year or two. But apart from Kovalchuk, Heatley, and maybe Lehtonen where are our system players?

And, when Kovy is gone in 2 years while we are still waiting for our system players to develop…well, it ain’t pretty.

We need the #3 pick to step in NOW, we need to trade the other first round pick for a legit forward NOW. We need to sign 2 FA defensemen and find another forward NOW.

By Sara

June 19, 2008 8:50 AM | Link to this

HipCzech (cough) Enstrom (cough)

We aren’t going to get 2 FA defensemen. We already have 5 D under contract as it is, without including Valabik or the soon-to-be-drafted youngster. Since it’s already been made clear Zhitnik won’t be bought out…no room at the inn.

And this is the crap I am talking about with ownership. Bruce Levenson stood there in a room full of ticked off STHs, and said we would sign one to two top-notch FA d-men this off-season. Well guess what Bruce, I call bullsh!t. They also said they wanted to restructure the front office, bring in a consultant to help Waddell out. Anybody seen one of those?? This ownership lies through it’s teeth like it’s nothing. As I believe ranallo pointed out, at least Don cares about the franchise, even if he does the wrong things sometimes. Nor does he get smashed and then give TV interviews at games looking like a complete jack@ss (and yeah, I’m talking to you again Bruce).

By T-Bone

June 19, 2008 9:03 AM | Link to this

Brendan, I agree the best trade value for Kovy is NOW, but as you said, in so many words,it would absolutely reveal the emperor(DW) to have no clothes, even to the sheep. Thus, we will be subjected to a replay of the Hossa “negotiations” with promises from DW of wanting to “get a deal done” but alas, no deal will be done until a trade on the deadline date in Feb. 2010. That event would impact the value of the franchise in a sale. Thus, I’m hopeful the ASG has that date circled as the drop dead date for selling the club. After that, with Kovy gone, the bid drops considerably. As businessmen first, they have to understand that much!

By Hip Czech

June 19, 2008 9:08 AM | Link to this

Sara…I thought about Enstrom after the post. Though, on any other team he would probably not be a top 2 defenseman. On this team he his.

Besides, that’s only one you can name ;-)

We have ‘six’ defensemen under contract, but that doesn’t mean we can’t trade a couple of them for 7th round picks and a couple goalie sticks. Havelid and Enstrom are two you keep, Popovic too probably…Klee, Exelby and McCarthy you maybe keep one of them. That leaves two more (assuming Zhitnik is either bought out, waived, or can somehow be traded).

What is the next timeline date for settling the ownership lawsuit? How much longer is that going to drag on?

By Marc Savard

June 19, 2008 9:10 AM | Link to this

Not-So-Neutral Zoner what is your problem? You think Shultz is wrong? Good lord, thicken the skin. Shultz IS doing his job. When your team sucks for this long and the person who runs it is still in charge, YOU SHOULD BE CALLING FOR HIS HEAD. That’s how it works. You should be applauding the AJC for FINALLY CALLING OUT the orginazations in this town that have been stealing money from all of us for years. Read an article in the New York Times or the Philly paper or actually any newspaper in the country that has a lousy team in it’s city, the reporters CALL FOR CHANGES. Thats the way it works and the way it should work. Shultz is right on every single account. I’ve given up all hope for this franchise, we continue to bumble over everything. DW will hose this draft, make no mistake about it. He always does. WHAT A MESS THIS FRANCHISE IS. FIRE DW.

By Lesley

June 19, 2008 9:12 AM | Link to this

I think that Mr. Schultz’s column hit the nail on the head once again. I was a season ticket holder from the very beginning and while not as rabid as “NSNZ”, I haven’t missed a whole lot of games (I do have a life outside of the Thrashers). I was one of those fans that Mr. Schultz mentioned a few years ago in one of his columns…I would be at a game even if they said that an anvil would be dropped on my head. Unfortunately, I guess one too many anvils got dropped on my head. I WILL not be renewing my season tickets this year. With gas probably being $5.00 a gallon when the season starts, I cannot justify spending my money to watch a team where there is ABSOLUTELY no committment to winning. Right now I feel that to renew my tickets would rank right up there with buying a Corvair or Pinto after the reports came out that they were the unsafest cars on the road. Keep up the good work, Mr. Schultz. It is refreshing to have someone that has the guts to tell it like it is and to share with the masses what a lot of Thrashers’ fans feel.

By kracker

June 19, 2008 9:15 AM | Link to this

Wow, Jeff, you got some joker here that really hates you, it seems to me, cause that poster nas never been posting on the regular Thrashers blogs, so it is you personally, not so much your topic today or what you are saying, that has the guy sputtering into his keyboard. Must be nice to have fans that follow you around!

As for the Thrashers, I have come to realize that this franchise is pretty much screwed until the ASG decides to care about the team. Nothing else will really help long term. We may get lucky and get young help via the draft here and there, maybe a decent FA signing twice a decade, grab a playoff spot now and then but it will remain pretty bleak until the ASG makes developing a winning franchise a priority.

By RS

June 19, 2008 9:24 AM | Link to this

Waddell hasn’t been held accountable for anything he’s done in the past 10 years, he’s certainly not going to be accountable to Kovalchuk.

Thanks Ilya, good luck with your next team. I know I’ll be cheering you on.

By Sara

June 19, 2008 9:25 AM | Link to this

HipCzech I don’t know about Enstrom not being #1 on other teams. Between his offensive skills, his smart decision-making, and calm demeanor, he’s virtually a pint-sized Lidstrom. If he can go through his career avoiding much contact like Lidstrom has, he’ll be a top defender for years.

Under contract for next season are: Zhitnik, Havelid, Enstrom, Exelby, and Klee. Pops and Mac are both FAs (who won’t be back IMO though I prefer Pops to Zhit, Klee, or even X). Klee and X likely will get relagated to 6/7 d-man positions as Havelid-Enstrom take top spots, Zhit-Bogo/Doughty second pair, then Valabik + X/Klee.

Now think about this…who is going to want Zhitnik or maybe even Klee? We might be able to trade X but that would be kind of stupid. He isn’t the greatest but he’s better than the two old farts and he at least hits. So ultimately I think we’re stuck with all of them. Blech!

On the plus side, all three are FA after next season, IIRC. X might have two years left. So maybe next off-season we can pursue more top FA D talent - which would still be enough time to make improvements and still retain Kovy. Maybe there will be a center available worth a poot as well.

While this off-season and season are critical, technically we have two years to get this team back up to snuff and not lose Kovy. If we start this year, and finish next off-season with the right moves/drafts, we could still easily convince Kovy to stay. Too bad there’s an IF in that statement.

By Bob

June 19, 2008 9:33 AM | Link to this

Hockey fans always will buy tickets because, well, they really like hockey

Schultz, this is where you’re wrong. I’m as diehard as they get, but we finally gave up our season tickets this year after they decided to retain Waddell again. And I really don’t see us wasting our time to go down there again this year, it is futile. That will hit them in the pocket book hard, and they’ll finally be forced to change. It will happen, but it’ll be painful to watch.

We’ve been there since Day 1, and each year, I’ve seen fellow diehard fans in our section drop off each year, saying “Waddell can’t build a team, I’ll be back when he’s gone”. Guess what? They don’t come back. A few of them would usually come back the first year after dropping their tix, but then they dwindle away, some of them I haven’t seen back in years.

Waddell has worked under three different ownership groups. Not one. Not two. Three. The one constant in this equation year after year is Don Waddell.

Look no further than the “talent” he signs at UFA defenseman each year to “improve” our defense. Really. This says it all right here. No excuses, they all stink. Just plain cold hard facts that fall directly at the feet of Don Waddell, who was a defenseman by the way, in his playing days. I give you the names of the free agent guys (not draft picks that may or may not work out, but known commodities) that this GM signs to improve our defense, yet our defense year in and year out is the worst in hockey, those who don’t hold down their breakfast well at gorey sights may want to cover their eyes:

Adam Burt, Todd Reardon, Richard Smehlik, Uwe Krupp, Kevin Dean, Maxim Galanov, Jean-Luc Grand Pierre, David Harlock, Chris Joseph, Ken Klee, Ivan Majesky, Jaroslav Modry, Chris McAlpine, Rumun Ndur, Daryll Shannon, Jiri Slegr, Chris Tamer, Sergei Vyshedkevich

These are guys that were known commodities, yet signed by Waddell to improve our defense. So save the excuses. After all this time, they ring hollow, and guess what, excuses are something that everyone has and they really do all just plain stink.

There is one common underlying theme to the disaster that is the building of the Atlanta Thrashers. And that is the architecht, Don Waddell. His basic inability to recognize talent, is the cause to all our woess.

Nothing meaningful will change here until meaningful changes are made a real GM is brought in here to build this club

By Lesley

June 19, 2008 9:40 AM | Link to this

I think that Mr. Schultz’s column hit the nail on the head once again. I was a season ticket holder from the very beginning and while not as rabid as “NSNZ”, I haven’t missed a whole lot of games (I do have a life outside of the Thrashers). I was one of those fans that Mr. Schultz mentioned a few years ago in one of his columns…I would be at a game even if they said that an anvil would be dropped on my head. Unfortunately, I guess one too many anvils got dropped on my head. I WILL not be renewing my season tickets this year. With gas probably being $5.00 a gallon when the season starts, I cannot justify spending my money to watch a team where there is ABSOLUTELY no committment to winning. Right now I feel that to renew my tickets would rank right up there with buying a Corvair or Pinto after the reports came out that they were the unsafest cars on the road. Keep up the good work, Mr. Schultz. It is refreshing to have someone that has the guts to tell it like it is and to share with the masses what a lot of Thrashers’ fans feel.

By Hip Czech

June 19, 2008 9:43 AM | Link to this

A comment about Montreal’s drafting:

*The downside to the Montreal Canadiens finishing first in the Eastern Conference is that they won’t get to pick until the 25th spot in Friday’s NHL Entry Draft.

But given how much success they’ve had in identifying, selecting and developing their draft choices, it probably won’t be much of an issue.

For the last seven years, the Canadiens have picked gems like Mike Komisarek, Christopher Higgins, Andrei Kostitsyn and Carey Price - all of whom have made significant contributions to the team this season and will continue to do so for years to come. Given that dynamic young core of talent - along with other home-grown players like Sergei Kostitsyn, Ryan O’Byrne, Jaroslav Halak, Maxim Lapierre and Mikhail Grabovski - the Canadiens will likely go with the best player available when their turn comes around.*

The Canadiens have always drafted lower than the Thrashers.

As others so succinctly state - Nuff said

By Sara

June 19, 2008 9:50 AM | Link to this

I don’t think there’s any question that Waddell can be blamed for the drafting record of this franchise. But Bob I think you are way off-base to pin blame on him for UFA signings. Big UFA signings require money and no set of owners in this club’s history has EVER given Don the fundage to do that. He can only work within the parameters given and those guys you listed are the only ones going to come here for league minimum or slightly better.

By Stan Drulia

June 19, 2008 9:54 AM | Link to this

Jeez… at this point I can’t believe I actually agree with Jeff S. Normally his articles leave me laughing and wanting to knock his teeth in. The Thrashers are really on the brink of destruction here. I consider myself the ultimate non-fair-weather fan… always see the upside and until last season had all the faith in the world in Waddell. I just can’t do it now. We have to make some serious earth-shaking moves here or we are going to lose Kovy in two seasons and destroy our beloved franchise in the process.

By T-Bone

June 19, 2008 10:01 AM | Link to this

Bob, I too was a STH since Day One and decided after no change in DW’s status to not renew for the upcoming season. With each passing day, my decision seems more and more correct. And what is interesting is never once did I get a call from my ticket rep to discuss why I didn’t renew. You would think 2 seats in the lower bowl since Day One not being renewed would warrant some kind of discussion as to why. But, as in all other things with this organization incompetence and indifference reign supreme.

By Bob

June 19, 2008 10:17 AM | Link to this

I think you are way off-base to pin blame on him for UFA signings

Sorry, Sara, you seem fixated on the ownership, that’s fine, they are screwed up as well, but Waddell is solely to blame for the guys he chose to sign, he’d have been better off signing no one and developing our draft picks if it was only about money. But even the year the owners gave Waddell max cap to spend, what did he do to fix our defense? That’s right. Nothing.

Save the excuses, Sara. Pardon the analogy, but we do all have them and yes, they do all stink.

The plain cold hard facts is Waddell can’t recognize talent. Our woeful record, shots allowed, goals allowed, proves it. His drafting record (outside of no brainer #1 or #2 overall picks) proves it. His woeful free agent signings proves it. His allowing guys like Bruno, Staios, Kaberle, et al to walk for no return proves it. His goalie signings starting from Day 1 when he laid all that money at the feet of Damian Rhodes, proves it. His trading of Coburn for Zhitnik proves it. His cold hard poor won/loss record proves it. His disaster under multiple coaches, including himself, proves it.

Why can the Canadians draft so well, yet Waddell can’t, if it’s only about money, eh Sara?

Why do other teams make key free agent signings of good players at reasonable prices, and we don’t?

No excuses, just look at the man making the decisions.

And please don’t delude yourself into thinking Gearon or Levenson or whoever is making any hockey decisions, they aren’t. It’s all Waddell.

Look at that list of UFA defenseman. They didn’t all sign for the league minimum, Sara. Even if they did sign for league minimum, was any one of them worth signing then? Nope. Was any one of them better than bringing in one of the 28 (I think that was the # as of last year) defenseman that Waddell drafted? Nope.

Enstrom a #1 on any team in the league? A mini Lidstrom?

Please. Enstrom is at best a solid #3 guy on a competitive NHL hockey club.

The mere fact that you think he’s a legit #1 just goes to show the woeful defensemen that Waddell has brought in here that you have to compare him to.

Please save the excuses. They ring hollow. The cold hard facts are that Waddell is incompetent and until his is gone, nothing meaningful will change here. I’ve said it every year for the past 5 years and every year, it’s proven to be true. And it will be true for this coming year.

All these wasted words. All this wasted effort. All of this wasted time, money, and energy invested in this club. And there’s one, just one, move that fixes it all. Until that move is made, nothing changes.

By NSNZ=Idiot

June 19, 2008 10:29 AM | Link to this

Not-So-Nuetral…shut up moron…what do want…some mindless dolt who simply writes “Everything is perfect with our team” propoganda??? Shultz job is to write columns about our teams and give his opinion. If you disagree…then fine. But for you to blast the man because he isn’t kissing the behind of DW like you do shows a great deal to stupidity.

God, you are an idiot!! tell me…are you honestly saying that D-Wad has NOT been anything but a complete and total failure???

Are you really that blind…or are you really just that stupid?

Or…are you Waddell’s secretary?

By whammer

June 19, 2008 10:40 AM | Link to this

FANS, IF YOU ARE FANS! ENOUGH, YOU ARE ALL HATING THE OWNERS,GM,ETC.. WITHOUT TALKING ABOUT THE REALITY OF THIS SITUATION. J.S IS A HACK, AND HIS COLUMNS ARE JUST SILLY AND MEANT TO ENRAGE A RESPONSE WHICH IS SEEMS TO HAVE DONE. NO MAJOR MARKET QUALITY PAPER WOULD GIVE THIS IDIOT A JOB. BUT ENOUGH ABOUT J.S., IT IS YOU THE FANS THAT ARE WRITING ALL THIS HATE THAT I HAVE AN ISSUE WITH. LETS TALK ABOUT FACTS PLEASE AND STOP REACTING TO A COLUMN THAT IS JUST WRITTEN TO GET YOU FIRED UP. 1) The Spirit has only owned these teams a little over 4 years now. When they bought the teams they had been the joke of both leagues and AOL had destroyed them and put them in a hole. Everyone hated that ownership. But these guys did not buy much to work with, lets be real. 2) Weeks after buying the teams Danny Heatly (remember him) - a true star, crashed his car, killed his best friend and ended his career in ATL. Owners fault, don’t think so. In fact they did all they could to help this kid out, and in the end he could not beat the demands in ATL. One great player lost, nothing to do with the organization. 3)The Hawks when purchased had been last in attendance and had a roster that was a joke. 4) Who owns the Hawks, why the Spirit. Hmmm you jerks THE HAWKS WON MORE GAMES AND LOOK MUCH BETTER THAN THE MIGHTY LAKER AGAINST THE CHAMPS - In 4 years from crap to the most exciting sports event (game 6) in years in this city. 5)DON W voted 6th best GM in all of sports year before last. Built a great team who won in a good division that year and got hammered in the playoffs because Hossa and others did not show up and the young players could not carry the team. 6)Spirit able to hire one of the most respected GMs in all of basketball, event the AJC had to admit that and did. SS want in FLA and said the inside NBA people said nothing but great things about SUND. 7)You know nothing about the ongoing legal battles but if you read the papers that report the facts you would know a few interesting point. The value of the teams have no bearing on this now. The ruling have no bearing on spending. The Spirit spent a lot of money two years ago to make a playoff push in which they won their division. Some of those big salaries did not show up in the playoffs. 8)Hawks sign and trade for Joe J and Bibby and that was not cheap. JJ is an allstar and proved it in the playoff and Bibby helped get them there.

I could go on, but as you can see by the facts this owners group in 4 years have made terrific progress and I enjoy going to both teams games as I am a season ticket holder to both. Yes last year was a tough year for the Thrashers, but I remember the exciting year before. You cannot bash this owners group for their progress in 4 years - and the Hawks gave this city some pride back in the playoff.

THE PROBLEM IS A COLUMNIST WHO HAS A VERY PERSONAL ISSUE WITH A FEW OF THE OWNERS AND WRITES FROM THAT AND NOT FOR THE FANS. HE WRITES TO MAKE HIMSELF FEEL BETTER.

LETS SUPPORT THESE TEAMS AND NOT JS. I WILL NOT STEP DOWN TO A LEVEL OF OH MEET ME HERE. BUT WHAT I WILL DO AFTER WRITING THIS IS PULL MY ADDS FROM THE AJC AND LET MANAGEMENT KNOW WHY. THAT IS MUCH MORE AFFECTIVE.

ALSO I KNOW IT IS EASY TO BE JEALOUS OF WEALTHY PEOPLE IN HARD TIMES. ALL YOU HATERS SOUND SO JEALOUS. TAKE PRIDE IN YOUR LIFE AND LET OTHERS DO THE SAME.

By David

June 19, 2008 10:41 AM | Link to this

All this talk of Wadell bashing has me excited. Fire Him! Fire him now 9 crappy seasons only 1 piece in place the whole time

By Sara

June 19, 2008 10:41 AM | Link to this

Bob the only one blind and biased is you. You are so determined to pin every little problem on Waddell because of your extreme hatred of him as GM. It’s short-sighted and ridiculous to not evaluate the big picture and look beyond “the one guy in control.” Did I say he was perfect? Nope - never have. But I can at least recognize that he can be handcuffed. Ownership interferes in sports decisions on every single team simply by parameters they set in terms of budgets, etc. You tell me what FA d-men you would bring in here on a $28 M a year budget. And yeah, sure, let the kids play, even though for years people like you have complained about a lack of FA signings. Problem is there is no pleasing people like you. Waddell could trade for Jokinen and sign Brian Campbell and you’d still hate his guts.

But this comes from the crew that wants to keep harping about stupid crap like “what a bust Stefan was” even though he was the #1 ranked prospect in his draft class. 20-20 hind-sight twisted logic. Spare me.

By Christina

June 19, 2008 10:51 AM | Link to this

NSNZ = Idiot, is English a second language for you? You articulate, not to mention spell, quite poorly. I would wager your favorite place to sit at Thrashers games is in sections 319 or 320 with all the other uncouth, foul, inarticulate, low-educated simpletons. Mutants like you calling others “stupid” amuses me.

By Bob

June 19, 2008 10:56 AM | Link to this

Waddell could trade for Jokinen and sign Brian Campbell and you’d still hate his guts

No I wouldn’t, those would be two great moves. Will Waddell make them? Nope.

I’m not biased and I don’t have extreme hatred for him. I find it very interesting that you, and these couple of Spirit employees up above in this blog are the ones being overly emotional and making wildly off based accusations.

I don’t want Waddell here anymore because he’s incompetent. But he seems like a real nice guy, I don’t hate him, I don’t hate anyone, life’s too short for that and the Good Lord taught us not to hate, doesn’t mean I can’t made decisions on who I will or won’t support, however. Waddell seems like a real class guy with the way he handled the Snyder and Heatley tragedy with class. I admire him for that. I don’t admire him for his abilities as an NHL GM, because he lacks that ability.

He’s killed our hockey team and I want him gone for that. That is the only reason.

Now, you may want to step back and re-evaluate your wild off base accusations. Are your feelings hurt because I laugh at your thinking Enstrom is a mini-Lidstrom or a #1 dman on any NHL team? Sorry, not nice to laugh at you, so I’ll apologize for that, but you may want to check your thoughts on that topic, as others may ridicule for saying that in public.

By Jeff Schultz